JP5766907B2 - Engaging flange for removable dispenser cartridge - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally to dispensers, and more particularly to dispensers with replaceable elements. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fluid dispenser, a piston pump for a liquid soap dispenser in which replacement of a liquid soap reservoir is easy, a paper roll dispenser, and a paper roll in which replacement is easy.

Many of the substance discharge dispensers such as fluid dispensers and paper roll dispensers are provided with a removable cartridge, which is replaced by insertion and removal after the discharge substance contained therein is used up. . Many of these dispensers have a complex coupling mechanism for coupling a removable cartridge to the dispenser, and can also be keyed or limited to a limited form of replaceable cartridge used. The disadvantage is that no lock out configuration is provided.

Currently, many of the materials sold in liquid form, such as liquid hand soaps, are contained in disposable containers or reservoirs that incorporate a pump assembly. Typically, a pump assembly includes a reciprocable element that, when moved, discharges a volume of liquid soap from a reservoir. The reservoir is typically mounted within a permanent housing that includes a movable actuator assembly that engages the movable element and reciprocates the movable element to eject fluid. This is a simple and economical means of fluid supply and discharge. Since the fluid reservoir is replaced when the contained fluid is used up, it is desirable to produce a dispenser and reservoir that make the replacement of the fluid reservoir as simple and quick as possible.

Known fluid dispensers have drawbacks in ensuring that the movable element relative to the actuator assembly is properly positioned and held in a normal dispensing position in order to properly dispense fluid. For proper delivery configuration, the pump assembly must be accurately aligned within the housing and ensure that it is properly fixed or coupled to the actuator assembly. Also, after first connecting the movable element and the actuator assembly, the movable element is in use, for example, from a normal array, such as in the radial direction of the axis about which the movable element reciprocates. There is also a liquid dispenser in which the problem of detachment occurs.

The coupling mechanism for coupling the movable element and the actuator assembly allows coupling of movable elements of various shapes and dimensions to the actuator assembly, which limits the exchangeable reservoir that can be coupled to the housing. Another disadvantage of known fluid dispensers is that no locking or locking arrangement is provided to limit them to those having a movable element of a particular shape and size.

2. Description of the Related Art Paper dispensers, such as the paper dispenser described in Friesen's Patent Document 1 published on February 12, 2009, are known in which the end plugs of a roll of material are interchangeably held in the dispenser. . An end plug for a roll of material, in which a paper roll can be slidably inserted so that the paper roll is connected to a dispenser, is disclosed in, for example, US Pat. The inventor has found that this type of end plug disclosed by Lind et al. Is provided with a relatively rigid structure including an elastic mechanism as a permanent part of the housing, but this structure loses its elasticity over time. It was easy to find out that the dispenser could not be used.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0039099 US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0230418

In order to at least partially overcome these disadvantages of known dispensers, the present invention provides an improved configuration for releasably connecting a removable cartridge containing a substance to be dispensed to a dispenser, comprising: The elastic member provided on the removable cartridge prevents movement of the removable cartridge relative to the gripping member, particularly in the radial direction, except when bent from its unbiased inherent configuration. Provide configuration.

In order to at least partially eliminate the disadvantages of known dispensers, the present invention further provides an improved arrangement for connecting a removable cartridge containing a dispensed substance to the dispenser, the shape of the cartridge. And a configuration that requires the annular cavity and / or dimensions within a specific range defined by the annular cavity in the gripping member of the dispenser and / or the introduction or discharge channel opening of the cavity To do.

In order to at least partially overcome the above disadvantages of known fluid dispensers, the present invention further comprises an improved arrangement for releasably connecting a movable element of a piston pump to an actuator mechanism comprising the movement. The elastic member provided in the possible element prevents the movable element from moving radially from the coupling arrangement relative to the gripping member of the actuator mechanism, except when bent from its unbiased native form Provide a configuration.

In order to at least partially overcome the above disadvantages of known fluid dispensers, the present invention further comprises an improved arrangement for releasably connecting a movable element of a piston pump to an actuator mechanism comprising the movement. The shape and size of the possible elements is an annular shape and dimension within the maximum specified range defined by the annular cavity in the gripping member of the actuator mechanism and the inlet and / or outlet passage openings to the cavity. Provide a configuration that needs to be.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a replaceable element with an elastic member that needs to be deformed when connected and / or released.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a replaceable movable element in a pump mechanism having an elastic member that needs to be deformed when the movable element and the housing are connected and / or disconnected. And

Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking arrangement in which the gripping member of the actuator mechanism limits the shape and dimensions of the movable elements of the reservoir that can be coupled to the actuator mechanism.

In another aspect, the present invention is a substance dispensing dispenser comprising a housing and a replaceable cartridge containing a substance to be dispensed,
The housing supports the cartridge at a discharge position;
The cartridge can be inserted into the housing to take the discharge position, and can be detached for replacement.
The housing includes a gripping member,
The cartridge includes an engagement mechanism arranged around an axis for engaging the gripping member and releasably connecting the cartridge to the housing in a connection arrangement.
The engagement mechanism includes an elastic member that extends radially outward from the cartridge in a non-biased inherent form, and the elastic member is bent from the inherent form in a radial range different from the inherent form. Elastically bendable into a shape in a radial direction, and further biased to recover the native form when bent from the native form,
When the cartridge is moved in the radial direction with respect to the gripping member from the coupling arrangement, the elastic member has a radius from the proper form to the bent form by the engagement between the gripping member and the elastic member. Bending in the direction, the elastic member and the gripping member are moved in a radial direction from the connection arrangement, and become a radially unconnected arrangement in which the cartridge is detached from the housing,
In the connected arrangement, the elastic member engages the gripping member while in the inherent form, and the cartridge is in a radial direction with respect to the gripping member from the connected arrangement to the radially unconnected arrangement. Prevent moving to the
Provide a dispenser. The cartridge is preferably either a fluid storage reservoir or a roll of sheet-like material.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides an improved fluid dispenser comprising a housing and a replaceable reservoir that incorporates a movable element as part of a fluid discharge valve. The housing includes a movable actuator assembly for coupling the movable element. When the actuator assembly and the movable element are in a connected arrangement, when the actuator assembly moves, the movable element moves axially on the axis, and fluid is discharged from the reservoir. The elastic member on the movable element, which is an inherent form of the unbiased state, when engaged, engages a gripping member on the actuator assembly so that the movable element is radial with respect to the gripping member To move to. To disengage the actuator assembly from the movable element, the movable element is moved radially relative to the actuator assembly. When the movable element is moved in the radial direction from the coupling arrangement, the elastic member is caused to engage with the elastic member on the movable element due to the engagement between the gripping member of the actuator assembly and the elastic member on the movable element. To the bent form, the elastic member and the gripping member move in the radial direction, and the connection is released. The elastic member preferably extends radially outward from the movable element in the non-biased inherent form. The elastic member is elastically bendable in a radial direction from the intrinsic form to a bent form having a radial range different from the intrinsic form, and when bent from the intrinsic form, the elastic member Energized to restore native form.

The actuator assembly not only disengages the reservoir from coupling with the actuator assembly by relative movement in the radial direction, but also moves in a radial direction relative to the actuator assembly so that the reservoir is moved to the actuator assembly. It can also comprise so that it may connect.

The actuator assembly not only disengages the reservoir from coupling with the actuator assembly by relative movement in the radial direction, but also moves axially relative to the actuator assembly so that the reservoir is moved to the actuator assembly. And may be configured to be connected to each other. In this regard, the actuator assembly is configured such that when the reservoir is inserted into the housing in an axially uncoupled arrangement relative to the actuator assembly, a first drive of the dispenser causes the movable element and the The actuator assembly may be configured to move axially relative to the movable element to a position where the actuator assembly is secured together in the coupled arrangement. Accordingly, the dispenser may be adapted to allow a replaceable reservoir to be inserted into the housing with the movable element in various axial positions relative to the reservoir.

The dispenser of the present invention has the advantage of simplifying the replacement and removal of the reservoir. The reciprocable element comprises a gripping assembly. The gripping assembly is configured such that the actuator assembly is movable in a radial direction relative to the reciprocable element from a connected arrangement to a non-connected arrangement. Once in the coupled arrangement, the gripping assembly prevents movement of the actuator relative to the movable element from returning to the uncoupled arrangement unless the elastic member on the movable element is properly bent. .

It is preferable that the reciprocable member is a piston element that takes an arrangement position coaxial with the actuator assembly when the reservoir is inserted into the housing. The piston element includes an elastic member. The gripping member of the actuator assembly engages with the elastic member of the piston element and couples the piston element to the actuator assembly in a coupling arrangement. The resilient member on the piston element is bendable as the piston element moves radially relative to the gripping member of the actuator assembly, thereby connecting the gripping member of the actuator assembly and the piston element. Can be released.

It is preferable that the elastic member on the piston element extends in a radial direction of the piston element in a circumferential shape around the piston element. When the elastic member is bent, the gripping member of the actuator assembly passes through the elastic member, and the connection is released. When the elastic member assumes an unbiased state in the coupling arrangement, the piston element is prevented from being detached from the gripping member of the actuator assembly due to the movement of the shaft in the radial direction. At the same time, the fluid can be reciprocated to discharge the fluid. The elastic member may comprise a set of elastic finger members, the finger members extending from a fixed end to a distal end of the finger member connected to the piston element, a circle centered on the piston element. It is arranged in a circumferential shape and is dimensioned to be able to pass through a discharge passage opening extending in the radial direction in the gripping member of the actuator assembly by bending radially inward. In the non-biased state of the finger member, the finger member does not pass through the discharge passage opening in the radial direction.

The discharge path preferably has a cam surface around the discharge path opening. When the piston element moves in the radial direction from the non-connected arrangement, the cam surface is bent by the engagement of the cam surface and the finger member, and the finger member is in the radial direction. Engage with the finger member on the piston element such that it passes radially through the discharge passage to an unconnected arrangement.

In one aspect, the present invention provides the following dispenser.
A dispenser for discharging fluid,
A housing;
A fluid containing reservoir having an outlet,
The housing supports the reservoir at a discharge position;
The reservoir can be inserted into the housing to take the discharge position, and can be detached at the time of replacement.
In order to discharge the fluid from the reservoir, a valve mechanism is arranged over the outlet, and the valve mechanism reciprocates along the axis with respect to the housing when the reservoir is at a discharge position for discharging the fluid. Reciprocally movable elements
The housing includes an actuator mechanism for actuating the reciprocable element, the actuator mechanism being movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the housing, and the actuator mechanism includes a gripping member. Prepared,
The movable element includes an engagement mechanism for engaging the gripping member and releasably coupling the movable element to the actuator mechanism in a coupled arrangement, wherein the actuator mechanism Movement between the first position and the second position results in an axial reciprocation of the movable element;
The engagement mechanism includes an elastic member that extends radially outward and axially outward from the movable element that has an inherent form in an unbiased state, and the elastic member is different from the intrinsic form. The radial range is elastically bendable in a radial direction into different bent forms, and when bent from the intrinsic form, is biased to recover the intrinsic form,
When the movable element is moved in the radial direction with respect to the gripping member from the connection arrangement, the elastic member is moved by the engagement between the gripping member and the elastic member on the movable element. The elastic member and the gripping member are bent in a radial direction from the intrinsic form to the one-bend form, and the elastic member and the gripping member move in the radial direction from the connected arrangement, and the reservoir is detached from the housing in a radially unconnected arrangement. Become
In the connected arrangement, the elastic member engages the gripping member while in the inherent form, and the movable element moves relative to the gripping member from the connected arrangement to the radially unconnected arrangement. To prevent radial movement,
Dispenser.

In another aspect, the present invention provides the following dispenser.
A fluid discharge dispenser comprising:
A housing;
A fluid containing reservoir having an outlet,
The housing supports the reservoir at a discharge position;
The reservoir can be inserted into the housing to take a discharge position, and can be detached at the time of replacement.
In order to discharge the fluid from the reservoir, a valve mechanism is arranged over the outlet, and the valve mechanism reciprocates along the axis with respect to the housing when the reservoir is at a discharge position for discharging the fluid. Reciprocally movable elements
The housing includes an actuator mechanism for actuating the reciprocable element, the actuator mechanism being movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the housing, and the actuator mechanism includes a gripping member. Prepared,
The movable element includes an engagement mechanism for engaging the gripping member and releasably coupling the movable element to the actuator mechanism in a coupled arrangement, wherein the actuator mechanism Movement between the first position and the second position results in an axial reciprocation of the movable element;
The gripping member has a side wall extending axially with respect to the axis and circumferentially with respect to the axis so as to define a central cavity coaxial with the axis therein.
A radial discharge passage extends radially from the cavity through the side wall,
The movable element is coaxially disposed within the cavity in the coupled arrangement;
The engagement mechanism has an elastic member provided on the movable element,
The elastic member originally takes an inherent form of an unbiased state,
The elastic member is elastically bendable from the intrinsic form to the bent form, and when bent from the intrinsic form, is originally biased to recover the intrinsic form,
In the connected arrangement, the elastic member engages the side wall of the gripping member while in the inherent form and moves from the connected arrangement through the discharge path to the radially unconnected arrangement. Preventing possible elements from moving radially relative to the gripping member;
When the movable element is moved in the radial direction toward the discharge path with respect to the gripping member from the coupling arrangement, the engagement between the gripping member and the elastic member on the movable element results in: The elastic member is bent from the inherent form into a bent form that matches the shape of the discharge path, and the bent elastic member is radially moved from the connected arrangement through the discharge path to a radially unconnected arrangement. To be able to move on,
Dispenser.

In another aspect, the present invention is a dispenser for discharging a substance, comprising a housing and a replaceable cartridge for containing the discharged substance,
The housing supports the cartridge at a discharge position;
The cartridge can be inserted into the housing to take the discharge position, and can be detached for replacement.
The housing includes a gripping member,
The cartridge includes an engagement mechanism disposed around the shaft for engaging the gripping member and releasably coupling the cartridge to the housing in a coupling arrangement.
The engagement mechanism includes an elastic member that extends radially outward from the cartridge in a non-biased inherent form, and the elastic member is bent from the inherent form in a radial range different from the intrinsic form. Elastically bendable into the form, and when bent from the native form, is biased to recover the native form,
When the cartridge is moved in the radial direction with respect to the gripping member from the coupling arrangement, the elastic member has a radius from the proper form to the bent form by the engagement between the gripping member and the elastic member. Bending in the direction, the elastic member and the gripping member are moved in a radial direction from the connection arrangement, and become a radially unconnected arrangement in which the cartridge is detached from the housing,
In the connected arrangement, the elastic member engages the gripping member while in the inherent form, and the cartridge is in a radial direction with respect to the gripping member from the connected arrangement to the radially unconnected arrangement. Prevent moving to the
Provide a dispenser. The dispenser may be a dispenser for a sheet material on a roll, wherein the cartridge is a roll of sheet material wound around an elongated core, with a first end on one end of the core. A plug is attached, and the engaging member is provided on the first end plug so that the core is coaxial with the shaft, and the housing is provided with the cartridge in the coupling arrangement and the core. A dispenser comprising a first journal bearing surface that engages a journal shaft surface on the first end plug when journaled to the housing to rotate about the shaft. .

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the reservoir and housing of the dispenser of the present invention showing the reservoir ready for insertion by horizontal relative motion. FIG. 2 is a portion of the housing and reservoir shown in FIG. 1 in a coupled arrangement with the actuator assembly of the housing and the reciprocable piston element of the reservoir in a fully extended rest position (fully extended rest position). FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the housing and the reservoir shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of the housing and reservoir similar to FIG. 3, but in a fully extended rest position so that the piston element is in an axially uncoupled arrangement above the actuator assembly and the actuator assembly engages the piston element. The difference is that it is partially moved from to the fully contracted position. 5 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the piston element and actuator member in the coupled arrangement of FIG. 3, showing only the portion of the piston element below the section line 3-3 ′ of FIG. 3 and shown in FIG. The central part of the actuator plate within the broken line is only schematically shown. FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the cutting piston element shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the central portion of the gripping member shown in FIG. 5, but only shows the portion below the section line 7-7 'shown in FIG. FIG. 8 shows the two cases in which the cutting piston element is in a first case in an axially disconnected arrangement relative to the central part of the actuator plate and in a second case in a radially unconnected arrangement. The assembly of is shown. FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along section line 9-9 'shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 9 along the section line 9-9 ′ shown in FIG. 5, but with the cutting piston element in an axially disconnected arrangement relative to the central portion of the actuator plate. It is different. 11 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 10, except that it is a cross section taken along section line 11-11 'of FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional top view of the assembly shown in FIG. 5 in a coupled arrangement. FIG. 13 is a top view similar to FIG. 12 except that the cutting piston element has moved radially forward from the unconnected arrangement. FIG. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the lower part of the gripping member and the cutting piston element of the second embodiment of the invention in a connected arrangement. 15 is a diametrical cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 15 below the horizontal cross section indicated as 1-1 'in FIG. FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 14 taken along the diametrical cross-section of FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view across the diameter of the assembly shown in FIG. 14 with a spray nozzle attached. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a modification of the embodiment of the gripping member shown in FIG. 9. 20 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 9 except that the gripping member shown in FIG. 19 and a modification of the movable element shown in FIG. 9 are employed. FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 9, but showing another embodiment that is a practical inversion of the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 9 except that a gripping member 100 and a movable element are employed according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 23 is a schematic perspective view similar to FIG. 8, showing still another embodiment according to the present invention. 24 is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of FIG. 23 in a connected arrangement similar to that of FIG. FIG. 25 is a front view of the embodiment of FIGS. 23 and 24, wherein the movable element has moved forward from the uncoupled arrangement. FIG. 26 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the forward portion of the movable element according to the present invention. FIG. 27 is a schematic side view similar to FIG. 18 except that the outlet and the supply tube are connected. FIG. 28 is a top perspective view showing still another embodiment of an outer portion of a piston element including an elastic member when the elastic member takes an inherent form in an unbiased state. FIG. 29 is a bottom perspective view showing still another embodiment of an outer portion of a piston element including an elastic member when the elastic member takes an inherent form in an unbiased state. FIG. 30 is a side view showing still another embodiment of an outer portion of a piston element including an elastic member when the elastic member takes an inherent form in an unbiased state. FIG. 31 is a bottom view showing still another embodiment of an outer portion of a piston element including an elastic member when the elastic member takes an inherent form in an unbiased state. 32 is a cross-sectional side view taken along the section line A-A ′ of FIG. 31. FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional side view taken along section line B-B ′ in FIG. 31. 34 is a top perspective view of the outer portion of the piston element of FIG. 28 when in a bent state. FIG. 35 is a bottom perspective view of the piston element shown in FIG. FIG. 36 is a front view of the piston element of FIG. FIG. 37 is a side view of the piston element of FIG. FIG. 38 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a piston pump coupled to an actuator illustrating yet another embodiment of the present invention having similarities to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. FIG. 39 is an end view of the outer end of the piston element shown in FIG. FIG. 40 is a perspective view of an end plug for a roll of material according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 41 is a side view of the end plug shown in FIG. 42 is a schematic front view of a vertical section of a paper dispenser on a roll using the end plug shown in FIGS. 40-41 connected to a gripping member. FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional view of one of the end plugs shown in FIG. 42 and its gripping member. 44 is a perspective view of the gripping member shown in FIGS. 42 and 43. FIG.

First, refer to FIG. FIG. 1 shows a dispenser 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The dispenser 10 includes a replaceable cartridge 13 and a housing 14.

Although only partially shown, the reservoir 12 comprises a chamber 16 for holding the fluid 18 to be discharged, such as a liquid soap. The outlet 20 is provided through the lowermost wall 17 of the chamber 16, and a valve assembly 22 for adjusting the flow of the fluid 18 to the outside through the discharge passage is disposed in the entire outlet 20. ing. The reservoir 12 is preferably made entirely of plastic and can be disposable when the contained fluid 18 is used up.

FIG. 1 shows a housing 14 in an open state into which a reservoir 12 can be inserted. The housing 14 includes a back plate 21, typically a back plate suitable for permanent attachment to a wall. A pair of side walls 23 extend forward in the vertical direction from both sides of the back plate 21. A support flange 24 is provided between the side walls 23 so as to extend in the horizontal direction, thereby defining a cavity 25 for accommodating the reservoir 12 between the side wall 23 and the back plate 21 on the flange 24. The

In the vertical direction, the flange 24 has an opening 26 in the form of a U-shaped slot 27 that closes at the rear blind end 28 of the flange 24 and opens forward to its leading edge 29.

The housing 14 is provided with an actuator assembly 30 movable with respect to the housing. The actuator assembly 30 specifically includes a pivot lever 31 and an actuator plate 32 attached to the housing so as to be vertically slidable. When the lever 31 is swung, the actuator plate 32 slidable in the vertical direction opposes the bias of the spring 34 disposed around the pair of vertically extending guide rods 33, and is linear along the guide rods 33. Move to. The actuator plate 32 has a downwardly facing lower surface 35 and an upwardly facing upper surface 36, and each surface extends perpendicularly to the linear movement path of the actuator plate 32.

The actuator plate 32 has a gripping opening 37 that vertically penetrates the actuator plate 32 and opens forward to the front edge 40 of the actuator plate 32.

Two rods 33 spaced apart in parallel are fixedly attached to the flange 24 at the upper end 41, extend downward to the lower end 42, and holding ferrules 43 are fixed to the lower ends, respectively. The actuator plate 32 has a pair of cylindrical holes 44 through which the rods 33 pass. The actuator plate 32 is disposed on the rod 33 above the ferrule 43.

The spring 34 is provided around each positioning rod 33. The spring 34 has an upper end that engages the flange 24 and a lower end that engages the upper surface 36 of the actuator plate 32 so as to move the actuator plate 32 away from the flange 24 to the fully extended position shown in FIGS. It is elastically biased downward.

The actuator assembly 30 includes a lever 31 that is pivotally connected to the housing 14 to pivot about a horizontal axis 46. The lever 30 is U-shaped having a pair of side arms 47 that are connected at the front by a horizontal connection bit 48. A pair of horizontal stub axles 49 extend laterally outward from the side arm 47, pass through the side wall 23 and are contained in the hole 50, and allow the lever 31 to be supported by the housing so that it can pivot about the shaft 46. .

The rear end 51 of the lever 31 engages with the lower surface 35 of the actuator plate 32. When the user manually pushes the cutting tool 48 of the lever 31 backward backward, the actuator plate 32 moves upward from the extended position shown in FIG. 2 to the retracted position shown in FIG. 4 against the bias of the spring 33. Moving. When the lever 31 is released, the actuator plate 32 returns to the extended position by the force of the spring 33.

The opening 26 of the flange 24 is in a position such that the reservoir 12 can slide back inward into the housing 14 in the manner shown in FIG. The flange 24 is positioned to support the bottom wall 17 of the fluid chamber 16 over the reservoir 12 as it slides into the housing 14 and assists in holding the reservoir 12 in the fluid ejection position. . Since the flange 24 is received in the slot groove 52 between the bottom wall 17 of the fluid chamber 16 and the upward shoulder 53 on the valve assembly 22, the flange 24 is sandwiched between the wall 17 and the valve assembly 22. This prevents the reservoir 12 from sliding in the axial direction when the dispenser 10 is used. Since the opening 26 of the flange 24 is U-shaped, guidance of the reservoir 12 is assisted when the reservoir 12 is inserted into the housing 14 in the horizontal direction and removed from the housing 14.

FIG. 2 best shows a reservoir valve assembly 22 comprising a piston pump as described in US Pat. No. 5,165,577, issued to November 24, 1992. The valve assembly 22 includes a piston chamber forming member 56 and a piston element 57. The piston chamber forming member 56 forms a discharge chamber 58 having an inflow opening 59 that opens into the chamber 16 at the innermost end. The entire inflow opening 59 is provided with a one-way inflow valve 60, which allows the fluid 18 to flow out from the chamber 16 to the discharge chamber 58, and from the discharge chamber 58 to the chamber 16. And prevent fluid from flowing out. The reciprocating piston element 57 is accommodated in the discharge chamber 58 so as to be slidable coaxially so as to relatively reciprocately slide about the shaft 66. The piston element 57 has an axially extending hollow stem 61, which has a flexible inner flange 62 and an outer sealing flange 63, which are connected to the shaft 23 in the discharge chamber 58. As the piston element 57 reciprocates along the axial direction, the fluid 18 flows from the chamber 16 through the one-way valve 60 to the outside, and passes through the stem 61 and passes through the internal path 65 to the outermost side of the piston element 57. Engage with the inner wall of the discharge chamber 58 to exit the end 64.

Piston element 57 includes a gripping assembly having a resilient engagement member 67 on a stem 61 proximate its outermost end 64. The elastic engagement member 67 has a plurality of elastic finger members 70 spaced circumferentially. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, each finger member 70 is connected to the stem 61 at the radially inner end 71 and extends radially outward and axially inward to the distal end 72. Each finger member 70 on the outer engagement flange 67 has a cam surface 73 that is axially outward and radially outward. Each finger member 70 has an inwardly facing shoulder 74 at its distal end 72. Each finger member 70 is naturally biased to be in an extended state as seen in FIGS. 1-8, but its distal end bends radially inward as shown in FIG. Can be bent.

2, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 12, the piston element 57 will engage the actuator plate 32 in the coupled arrangement.

When the actuator plate 32 is reciprocated between the extended position and the contracted position in a state where the piston element 57 is engaged with the actuator plate 32 in the coupling arrangement as seen in FIG. 2, the piston element 57 is also moved relatively. As a result, fluid is discharged from the reservoir.

Please refer to FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic view of selected portions of the piston element 57 and the actuator plate 32. In FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation, the piston element 57 and the actuator plate 32 are only partially shown. Further, in FIG. 5, only the central portion of the actuator plate 32 indicated within a broken line 99 in FIG. Similarly, in FIG. 5, the piston element is only shown in the lower part of the horizontal cross section indicated by the section line 3-3 'in FIG. 3, so that a cut cross section of the hollow stem 61 is shown. 6 to 13 also show only the cut gripping member 57 and the central portion of the actuator plate 32 as in FIG.

The gripping member 100 defines a cavity 102 therein, which is suitable for receiving the forward portion of the piston element 57, in particular the engagement member 67. The cavity 102 has a central opening 104 that passes through the actuator plate 32 disposed coaxially with the shaft 66 and is coaxial with the cavity 102. A pair of upstanding grips 106 are provided on opposite sides of the opening 104, each grip 106 having a sidewall 108 having an inner surface 110 that faces inward and simultaneously defines a cavity in the radial direction. Each grip 106 has an inner end wall 112 having an inner surface 114 facing outward in the axial direction. The inner end wall 112 is axially spaced from the actuator plate 32 that substantially forms an outer end wall axially spaced from the inner end wall 112, such actuator plate / outer end wall 32. Provides an axially inwardly facing inner surface as the upper surface 36 of the actuator plate 32.

For example, as can be seen from the cross-sectional view of FIG. 10, the cavity 102 is radially between each inner surface 110 of the side wall 108 and between the inner surface 114 of the inner end wall 112 and the upper surface 36 of the outer end wall / actuator plate 32. Defined axially therebetween. Further, as can be seen from FIG. 8, for example, the discharge passage 120 passes through the inner end walls 112 between the gripping portions 106 in the entire axial range with respect to the shaft 66 in the radial direction forward from the cavity 102. An opening is provided between the side walls 108 through the actuator plate / outer wall 32.

For example, as can be seen in FIGS. 6, 10 and 11, the stem 61 is provided with an annular flange 124 extending radially outward, the flange 124 having a finger member 70 at its radially outward end. have. The flange 124 includes a shoulder surface 126 extending in the radial direction and facing outward in the axial direction. The shoulder surface 126 is first coupled to the outer surface of the finger member which is the curved surface portion 128, and the curved surface portion 128 is substantially frustoconical. It couple | bonds with the cam surface 73 arrange | positioned. The cam surface 73 is interrupted at the inner end of the cam surface at a shoulder 74 that extends inward in the axial direction and extends in the radial direction. The inner surface of the finger member 70 has a generally frustoconical portion 129, which is shown to be coupled to the inner shoulder surface 130 of the flange 124 at its lower end.

On the outer side from the flange 124, the stem 61 tapers outwardly and extends forward in the axial direction as a truncated cone-shaped position part 136 that is coupled to the substantially cylindrical outlet part 134 having the discharge port 64 at the axially outer end thereof. Exist.

The cavity 102 of the gripping member 100 is provided to have a shape that exactly matches the shape of the front portion of the piston element 57 accommodated therein. The inner upper surface 36 of the outer end wall 32 inside the cavity 102 closely matches the dimension of the shoulder surface 126 of the flange 124 in the piston element 57. The inner surface 114 of the inner end wall 112 closely matches the shape and dimensions of the shoulder 74 of the finger member 70 of the piston element.

As best seen in FIG. 7, the discharge passage 120 extends through each side wall 108, which is interrupted by a side-facing cam surface 136 having an inner edge 138 and an outer edge 140. Each frustoconical inner surface 110 of the side wall 108 is interrupted in front of the inner edge 138.

Please refer to FIG. FIG. 8 schematically shows the gripping member 100 with the piston element 57 placed in two different uncoupled arrangements. First, a piston element 57 is shown which is arranged in front of the gripping member 100 in a radially unconnected arrangement. The piston element 57 moves horizontally in the radial direction in the direction indicated by the arrow 142 from the radially unconnected arrangement to the connected arrangement and from the connected arrangement to the radially unconnected arrangement. FIG. 8 also shows the piston element 57 in an axially disconnected arrangement, which moves from the axially disconnected arrangement to the connected arrangement when moved in the axial direction in the direction indicated by the arrow 144. The connection arrangement is shown for example in FIGS. 5, 9 and 12, respectively.

FIG. 12 shows a top view of FIG. 5 with the piston element 57 and the gripping member 100 in a connected arrangement. As can be seen from the dashed line in FIG. 12, two of the finger members 70 are below the inner end wall 112, and the shoulder 74 of the finger member 70 is in close engagement with the inner surface 114 of the upper end wall 112, 9, the cam surface 73 is closely engaged with the frustoconical inner surface 110 of the side wall 108, and the flange 124 is closely engaged with the upper surface 36 of the outer end wall 32. The piston element 57 may be disengaged from the engagement member 100 by moving relative to the shaft 66 in a radial direction from the coupling arrangement. In such radial movement, the cam surface 73 of the elastic finger 70 engages the cam surface 136, in particular its inner edge 138, and this engagement causes the discharge channel 120 to face each other as the piston element 57 moves radially forward. The elastic finger member 70 on the side surface is bent inward in the radial direction, so that the bent elastic finger 70 can move in the radial direction through the discharge passage 120. FIG. 13 shows that the piston element 57 moves radially forward from the coupling arrangement and that two opposing finger members 70 adjacent to each grip 106 are passed through the discharge passage 120 radially forward. Shows a state bent to the inside in the radial direction to a sufficient extent.

When the finger member 70 moves radially forward from the coupling arrangement shown in FIG. 12, which has an unbiased inherent form, the finger member 70 is bent into a bent form having a radial range different from the inherent form. . Each finger member 70 is biased so as to recover its inherent form from such a bent form by its inherent elasticity. In the first radial forward movement from the coupling configuration shown in FIG. 12, the finger member is engaged at least during the first radial movement of the piston element 57 by engagement with the respective foremost part of the frustoconical inner surface 110 of each side wall 108. It becomes easy to push 70 inward in the radial direction. After the initial movement, the finger member 70 is further bent by the engagement between the cam surface 73 of the finger member 70 and the inner edge 138 of the cam surface 136, and when the piston member 57 moves further outward, the finger member 70 is moved. The cam surface 73 overlaps with the cam surface 136 and then overlaps with the outer edge 140 of the cam surface 136 when exiting the introduction path 120.

The discharge path 120 is defined by the slot groove 38 through the outer end wall 32 from the leading edge 40 of the actuator plate 32 to the central opening 104. The slot groove 38 has side walls 142 that are sufficiently spaced to allow the frustoconical location 136 and the cylindrical outlet 134 of the piston element 57 to pass radially. Similarly, as shown, the side wall surfaces 144 of the discharge passage 120 provided in the inner end wall 112 are spaced apart by a sufficient distance in the radial direction to allow the stem 61 to move forward in the radial direction. Yes. The piston element 57 may be moved radially rearward from the radially unconnected arrangement shown in FIG. 8 to the connected arrangement. In such a radially inward movement, the cam surfaces 136 of the side walls 108 on either side of the discharge channel 120 engage the cam surfaces 73 of the finger members 70, and further, as shown in FIG. The finger member 70 is bent radially inward so that the member 70 is positioned in a radially inward position sufficient to move inwardly through the cam surface 136 and into the cavity 102. As the piston element 57 moves from the position of FIG. 13 to a coaxial position within the cavity, the finger member 70 assumes an unbiased native form due to its inherent elasticity. That is, as the piston element 57 moves radially from the uncoupled configuration to the coupled configuration, the finger member 70 bends into a bent configuration and immediately returns to its native configuration.

When the piston element 57 is in the coupled arrangement, the axial movement is first prevented from the coupled arrangement. This is because the shoulder 74 of the finger member 70 engages the inner surface 114 of the inner end wall 112, the shoulder surface 126 of the flange 124 engages the upper surface 36 of the outer end wall 32, and the cam surface of the finger member 70. This is because 73 is engaged with the inner surface 110 of the side wall 108. In the coupled arrangement, the piston element 57 is prevented from moving radially relative to the gripping member 100 by the inherently shaped finger member 70 that engages the inner surface 110 of the side wall 108.

With respect to FIG. 8, the piston element 67 may also be moved from the axially uncoupled arrangement shown in FIG. 8 to the coupled arrangement by relative axial movement. In such an axial movement, the cam surface 73 of the finger member 70 is engaged with the side wall surface 144 of the inner end wall 112, and the finger member 70 has a non-biased inherent shape. Bending into different bending forms with different radial ranges. As a result, the finger member 70 pivots the inner end wall 112 in a state where the cylindrical outlet portion 134 and the frustoconical position portion 136 of the piston element extend coaxially downward toward the central opening 104 of the outer wall 32. You can pass in the direction. In such axial insertion, the piston element 57 may be considered to move downwardly through an axially extending introduction channel bordered by the side wall surface 144 of the inner end wall 112. When the cam surface 73 of the finger member 70 passes axially outwardly below the axially outward inner surface 114 of the inner end wall 112, it is bent when moving between the side wall surfaces 144 of the inner end wall 112. The finger member bent in a straight line immediately recovers its natural form. As can be seen from FIG. 9, which is a coupled arrangement, the cavity 102 has an inner surface having an entire inner surface 114 of the inner end wall 112, an entire inner surface 110 of the side wall 108, and a partial inner surface 36 of the outer end wall 32. Forming a keyway portion that is coaxial with the shaft and substantially located on a first rotational surface defined by rotation of a first shape about the shaft 66. Similarly, the key portion of the outer surface of the piston element 67 is defined by rotation about a second shape shaft 66 that is substantially identical to the first shape when the piston member is coaxial with the shaft 66. You may consider that it is located in a 2nd rotating surface. Providing the cavity 102 with a keyway portion having a shape corresponding to the key portion of the outer surface of the piston element 57 allows the piston element that does not take a rotational shape within the shape defined by the keyway portion to be inserted into the chamber 102. It is thought that it is advantageous to restrict this.

In this regard, it can be considered that the rotational shape of the key portion on the outer surface of the piston element 57 represents a rotating solid when rotated about the axis. The cavity 100 has an inner wall, which is dimensioned to be accommodated in the part in which the rotational solid of the piston element is considered in the cavity, i.e. when the cavity 100 is rotated around the axis of the cavity, A cavity 100 is sufficiently defined to accommodate only the piston element 57 when in shape and configuration. If the rotational dimension of the piston element is not within the range of the hollow rotational dimension, the piston element cannot be used. The relative keyway shape of the cavity 100 determines what the rotational shape or the rotational solid of the key portion of the piston element 57 will be accommodated in the cavity. The preferred embodiment shows the rotational shape of the key portion of the piston element 57 that is substantially identical to the rotational shape of the cavity 100. However, it is not always necessary to have this rotational shape, and the key portion of the piston element 57 is fitted into the cavity 100, preferably fitted in any rotating portion around the axis, preferably rotated. What is necessary is just a shape or a rotation solid.

The preferred embodiment shown shows a resilient engagement flange 67 that includes a plurality of individually circumferentially spaced finger members. However, this form is not necessarily required. For example, instead of providing the finger member 70 separated by the slot 82, a continuous annular member having elasticity that can be deformed in the radial direction to take an appropriate bent form is provided. It is also possible.

The cavity 102 and the portion of the piston element 57 housed within the cavity 102 are substantially three-dimensional keyways with the situation that insertion or removal into the keyway requires bending of the elastic part. And forming a complementary key. Such insertion or removal from the keyway may be possible by bending the key, bending the keyway, or bending both the keyway and the key. When the keyway portion of the gripping member 100 and the key portion of the piston element 57 are each defined by a plane of rotation that rotates about the axis 66, the piston element 57 can be in any relative position of rotation about the axis 66. Can also engage within the cavity 102. While the above is a preferred form, this need not be the case, and in order to properly insert the piston element 57 into the cavity 102, the piston element 57 is about one or more desired rotational positions about the axis 66. As long as it rotates, various configurations can be adopted.

FIG. 1 illustrates a reservoir assembly having a reservoir 16 and a valve assembly 22 in a radially uncoupled arrangement that can be coupled to the housing 14 by only moving radially backward. From the position shown in FIG. 1, when the entire reservoir 12 is initially slid back in the horizontal direction, the flange 24 of the housing 14 moves into the slot groove 52 between the bottom wall 17 of the fluid chamber 16 and the upward shoulder. Is housed. When the piston element 57 is positioned in the proper extended position of the piston chamber forming member 56, the piston element 57 and the gripping member 100 will be in a radially uncoupled arrangement and the reservoir 12 and valve assembly 22 will be further rearward in the horizontal direction. As the finger member 70 continues to slide, the finger member 70 of the piston element 56 bends and the piston element enters the cavity 102 and assumes a coupled arrangement.

Please refer to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the situation that occurs when the reservoir 12 is slid back in the horizontal direction and inserted into the housing 14 with the piston element 57 in the fully retracted position. The housing flange 24 is received in a slot groove 52 between the bottom wall 17 and the upward shoulder 53 of the valve assembly 22. However, with the piston element 57 in the retracted position, the finger member 70 of the engagement member 67 of the piston element 57 is in an axially unconnected arrangement at a position vertically above the gripping member 100 provided on the actuator plate 32. Has been placed. When the dispenser is first operated from the position shown in FIG. 4, that is, when the lever 31 is manually moved, the actuator plate 32 moves vertically upward from the position below the outer engaging member 67 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. Move to. The gripping member 100 is engaged with the elastic finger member 70 of the engaging member 67. Due to this engagement, the elastic finger member 70 is bent inward in the radial direction, and the piston element 57 enters and engages with the gripping member 100 to be connected. It becomes.

When the actuator plate 32 moves upward as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4, the gripping member 100 that first engages the finger member 70 allows the piston element 57 to assume the fully retracted position. Push up as much as possible. In this position, the inner end of the piston element 57 engages the inner end of the chamber 58 in the piston chamber forming member 56, so that upward movement of the piston element 57 with respect to the piston chamber forming member 56 is prevented.

In an operating cycle after manually releasing the lever 31 with the piston element 57 in a coupled arrangement with the actuator plate 32, the spring 33 simultaneously returns the actuator plate 32 and the piston element 57 to the extended position.

Reference is made to FIG. 6 which best shows the elastic finger member 70. In the preferred first embodiment, six finger members 70 are provided which are equal segments about the central axis 66 of the piston element 57 and are spaced equidistant from each other by slots 82.

The circumferential extent of the slot 82 is such that each of the circumferential side portions of the distal end 72 of the adjacent finger member 70 is sufficient to allow the finger member 70 to pass through the discharge channel 120 without engagement. The distal end 72 of the finger member 70 can be bent in the radial direction. By providing the finger member 70 so as to extend circumferentially around the outer end of the piston element 57, the finger 70 of the piston element 57 is positioned relative to the piston element 57 within the piston chamber forming member 56. It is possible to engage with the gripping member 100 regardless of the above.

For example, in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the piston element 57 is preferably injection molded from a plastic material as a single element. The entire reservoir 12 and its pump assembly 22 are preferably disposable as a single item after the contents of the reservoir are discharged. Each reservoir 22 with a disposable pump assembly 22 is normally assumed to be connected to the housing only once, so that the elastic finger 70 of the piston element 57 is once or at most several times the actuator plate. It is only necessary to have elasticity that can be connected to 32. Thus, the plastic material constituting the elastic finger 70 does not have to be bendable and retain elasticity any number of times. Accordingly, the elastic finger 70 may be formed of a relatively inexpensive plastic material that is inherently somewhat elastic but does not maintain its elasticity after repeated bending. The piston element 57 or at least its substantial part including the engaging member 67 with the elastic finger 70 is preferably formed by injection molding of a plastic material as a substantially single element.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the reciprocable piston element 57 is connected to a coupling arrangement as shown in FIG. 2 or axially non-movable so that the piston element can move independently from the actuator plate 32 as shown in FIG. 4. It is possible to slide and insert into the gripping member 100 on the actuator plate 32 so as to be in any one of the connection arrangements.

In the coupling arrangement, the pivoting movement of the lever 31 causes the gripping plate 32 and the piston element 57 to move in the axial direction between the first stationary / extension position and the second fully contracted position, whereby a certain amount of fluid 18 is discharged. Is done. When the reservoir 12 is inserted in a state where the piston element 57 is in the axially unconnected arrangement of FIG. 4, the actuator plate 32 is moved relative to the piston element 57 by the initial movement of the lever 31, and the piston element 57 is moved to the gripping member 100. Move until engaged and in the connected arrangement of FIG. In this way, the dispenser 10 will dispense fluid 18 when the piston element 57 is initially inserted into the housing 14, regardless of whether it is connected or disconnected from the actuator plate 32. Operate.

To dispense fluid 18, actuator assembly 30 is repeated. In this one cycle, the pivotal movement of the lever 31 moves the piston element 57 from the first stationary / extension position shown in FIG. One cycle is completed by returning to the rest / extension position.

The dispenser 10 of the present invention has the advantage that when the reservoir 12 is inserted into the housing, the piston element 57 does not have to be in a specific position relative to the piston chamber forming member 57 or the grip plate 32. .

Reference is made to FIGS. 14-17 which show a second embodiment of the gripping member 100 and the forward cut portion of the piston element 57 engaged therewith. 14-17, the same reference number is attached | subjected to the element similar to the element shown by FIGS. In the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-13, the piston element 57 comprises a discharge port 64 that discharges fluid to the user's hand when in use. In the embodiment of FIGS. 14-17, the fluid outlet 64 of the piston element 57 communicates in a sealed manner with the discharge path 202 that penetrates the gripping member 100 with the discharge port 214. In the embodiment of FIGS. 14-17, the piston element 57 is similarly provided with an elongated hollow tubular stem 61 with a passage 65, which at its distal end is the outer shoulder surface 128 of the flange 126. Have An annular slot groove 204 for receiving an annular sealing ring 206 is provided on the upper surface 36 of the outer end wall 32 of the gripping member outside the flange 126 in the axial direction. The piston element 57 is engaged and compressed by the flange 124 of the 57 so that the periphery of the piston element 57 is annularly sealed when the piston element 57 is in the coupling arrangement. The gripping member 100 includes a hollow discharge pipe 208 that is coaxial with the discharge port 64 of the piston member 57 and communicates with the discharge port 64 and that is open at the upper end 210. The discharge tube 208 opens at the outer end 212 that forms the discharge port 214.

As can be seen from FIG. 14, the inner end wall 112 of the gripping member 100 has a U shape that extends 180 degrees or more circumferentially around the shaft 66 and opens forward in the radial direction.

FIG. 16 illustrates that the gripping member 100 and the piston element 57 are shown only below the horizontal section line 1-1 ′ shown in FIG. 15, slightly above the shoulder 74 of the finger member 70. 15 is a perspective view similar to FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 16, the side wall 108 is provided as three parts including a back part 218 in addition to the two opposing side parts 216. The inner surface 110 of the back surface 218 of the side wall 108 is frustoconical and generally matches the shape of the frustoconical cam surface 73 outside the finger member 70. The side portion 216 of the side wall 108 has a main inclined surface 220 that is illustrated as being substantially flat. The main inclined surface 220 is disposed on a plane that is angled with respect to the axis 66, and faces toward the axis 66. Tapered downward and radially inward. In each side wall 216, a stop member 222 that protrudes toward the cavity 102 with respect to the inclined surface 220 is provided at the front end of each of the inclined surfaces 220. Each stop member 222 has a cam surface 136 that faces the cam surface 136 on the opposite stop member. Each cam surface 136 has an outer edge 140 and an inner edge 138. The inner edge 138 couples with an inclined cam surface 224 that faces inwardly into the cavity. Similar to the first embodiment, when the piston element 57 is slid radially forward from the coupling arrangement, the inclined cam surface 224, the outer edge 140, and the cam surface 136 are continuously connected to the cam surface 73 of the finger member 70. The engagement causes the finger member 70 to bend radially inward, thereby reducing the radial width between the finger members 70 of the piston element 57 so that the finger member 70 can pass forward through the discharge passage 120 in the radial direction. It becomes like this. Similar to the first embodiment, the piston element 57 moves by radial movement from a connected arrangement to a radially unconnected arrangement or from a radially unconnected arrangement to a connected arrangement. Similarly, the piston element 57 moves from an axially unconnected arrangement to a connected arrangement by axial movement.

FIGS. 15 and 17 show the inner member of the discharge tube 208 of the gripping member 100 with a foam generator assembly for foaming a mixture of liquid and air, which mixture is, for example, Ofardt US Pat. No. 6,409,050. It may be released from a piston element 57 in the form of a piston element as described in the specification. However, the discharge pipe 208 has a stepped structure that assists in housing and holding the first screen member 226, the porous plug 228, and the second screen member 230 at positions spaced apart in the axial direction. . As can be seen, the first screen member 226 is on the first step shoulder 232, the cylindrical foam plug is on the top of the first screen member 226, and the second screen member 230 is the second step shoulder. It will be placed on the part 234.

Please refer to FIG. 18 shows the gripping member 100 of FIG. 14 in a cross-section along the section line 3-3 ′ in FIG. 15 (the piston member 57 is not shown). The gripping member 100 in FIG. 18 is the same as the gripping member 100 shown in FIGS. 14 to 17 except that the configuration of the discharge tube 208 is changed. Here, in the discharge pipe 208, the screen members 226 and 230 and the plug 228 are removed at the portion below the sealing ring 206, and further, the tubular nozzle extension 236, the limited insertion nozzle 238, and the nozzle end cap are removed. A spray nozzle assembly connected to a discharge pipe 208 including 240 is provided. In the known manner, the nozzle end cap 240 is snapped or screwed to the end of the plug nozzle 238 and there is a small discharge opening in the cap. In the insertion nozzle 238, the flow path through which the fluid passes is relatively small so that the fluid discharged from the discharge port 214 of the nozzle cap 240 becomes a fine mist or spray.

In the second embodiment of FIGS. 14-18, providing a discharge tube 208 as part of the gripping member 100 helps to reduce the overall length of the piston element 57 to be provided in the reservoir 12 assembly and valve assembly 22. By providing the discharge pipe 208 in the grip member 100, the extension of the discharge port 214 is assisted, and the discharge port 214 is arranged closer to the user's hand, which is usually placed under the discharge device. According to the second embodiment, when the finger member 70 of the piston element 57 is housed in the gripping member 100 in a connected arrangement, the finger member 70 is annular with the axially outward surface 114 inside the inner end wall 112. It is securely held between the sealing ring 206, so that the discharge port 64 of the piston element 57 is in sealing engagement with the upper end 210 of the discharge pipe 208 of the gripping member 100.

Refer to FIG. FIG. 27 is the same side view as FIG. 18 except that the configuration of the discharge tube 208 is different. Here, in a portion below the sealing ring 206, the discharge pipe 208 is configured to be engaged with the pipe 500, and the pipe 500 automatically discharges the discharged fluid to the washing machine. In order to be advantageous in various applications including water treatment and various other uses without limitation, it is guided to a remote position. The tube 500 is preferably a flexible tube fixed to the discharge tube 208 with a friction fit, but many other connection configurations can be employed.

Reference is made to FIGS. 19 and 20 showing a modification of the gripping member 100. A gripping member 100 in FIG. 19 is the same as the gripping member shown in FIG. 8, but the side wall extends from one end of the discharge path 120 to the other end of the discharge path 120 in a complete circumferential shape around the shaft 66. 108 and the inner end wall 112 are different. Further, according to the figure, the surface 142 of the outer end wall 32 around the discharge channel 120 has two facets forming a triangle as seen in the side view of FIG. 20, namely an upward facet and a downward facet. Have In FIG. 19, the inward surface 144 of the inner end wall 122 is circular with the axis 66 as the center. 20 is a cross-sectional side view similar to FIG. 9, showing both the gripping member 100 of FIG. 19 and a new form of the movable element 57 shown in cross-sectional view only in FIG. FIG. 20 shows that the shape of the inward surface 144 of the inner end wall 112 is a truncated cone shape with the axis 66 as the center and decreasing in the axial direction outward and inward. The inner end wall 112 does not extend radially inward as in the embodiment of FIG. 9 to facilitate snap fitting the finger 70 into the cavity 102.

The stem 61 has a second radially outwardly extending positioning flange 280 above the flange 124 with an inclined outer surface 282 that engages the frustoconical surface 144 of the inner end wall 112. As can be seen from FIG. 20, the shoulder 74 of the finger member 70 engages directly below the inner end wall 112 and the flange 280 engages the axially inwardly frustoconical surface 144 of the inner end wall 112. The movable element 57 and the gripping member 100 are fixed together when in the connected arrangement, and do not relatively move in the axial direction.

FIG. 19 shows inwardly facing surfaces 142 of the outer end wall 32 on each side of the slot groove 38 that extend inwardly toward each other. According to the figure, the movable element 57 has its stem 61 modified to have only a frustoconical portion 132 outside the flange 124, but the frustoconical portion 132 extends radially into it. There is an existing annular groove 133, which has a shape that matches the surface 144. As the movable element 57 moves radially from the connected arrangement shown in FIG. 20 to the radially unconnected arrangement, it can be moved by the annular groove 133 of the stem 61 of the movable element around the frustoconical section 132. The element 57 can be slid in the radial direction through the inner protrusion of the outer end wall 32 formed by the surfaces 142 on both sides of the slot groove 38.

Refer to FIG. FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the gripping member 100 and the movable element 57 that is substantially the same as FIG. 9, except that the cavity 102 and the elastic finger 57 of the gripping member 100 are arranged upside down, and the movable element 57 is The gripping member 100 can be moved upward in the axial direction from the axially unconnected arrangement below the gripping member 100 into the gripping member 100. The embodiment in FIG. 21 also allows radial movement between connected and unconnected arrangements in a manner similar to the embodiment in FIG.

Refer to FIG. 22 shows another embodiment of the gripping member 100 and the movable element 57 according to the present invention shown in a sectional view similar to FIG. In FIG. 22, each finger member 70 extends forward, ie, substantially outward, and extends substantially only in the axial direction from a support flange 124 provided on the stem 61. Each of the finger members 70 has a radially outward cam surface 73 that allows the movable element 57 to move axially downward from an axially unconnected arrangement above the gripping member 100 to a connected arrangement. Easy to do. In the radial movement from the connected arrangement to the non-connected arrangement, the outer end in the axial direction of the finger member 70 is bent inward in the radial direction by a part of the cavity near the discharge path, so that the finger member 70 moves along the discharge path. It will be able to pass in the radial direction. Each finger member 70 is provided with an annular groove 280 around which the annular radially extending portion of the inner end wall 112 can be received. In the embodiment of FIG. 22, the diameter of the discharge passage that opens radially forward through the inner end wall 112 is preferably equal to the widest diameter between the faces 144 of the inner end wall 112 in its entirety. However, the diameter of the drainage channel is a diameter that is radially reduced from each side wall 108 such that when the distal outer end of the finger 70 moves radially inward, it can move radially through the drainage channel. Would.

FIG. 23 shows an embodiment according to the invention in which the engagement member 67 is provided with a disc extending radially from the stem 61 and suitable for bending its distal end in the axial direction. The disk 67 has a frustoconical cam surface 73 that is axially outward and inward as shown. As best seen in FIGS. 23 and 25, the drain passage 120 passing between the sidewalls 108 includes a radially extending outlet slot 220 having a lower surface 286 and an upper surface 284. In the vicinity of the central portion of the discharge path 120, the lower surface 286 of the slot 220 is at the same height as the upper surface 36 of the outer end plate 32. However, the lower surface 286 of the slot 220 gradually rises upward as it extends radially outward from the slot groove 38. When the piston element 57 is in the coupling arrangement as shown in FIG. 24, the cam surface 73 of the elastic disc 67 is at the initial stage when the movable element 57 moves radially in the direction of the discharge path 120. The lower end 286 of the outlet slot 220 is engaged with the lowermost portion in front of the lower surface 286, and thereby, the elastic disk 67 is cammed at the front end portion thereof so as to be bent upward in the axial direction. As the piston element 57 moves further forward in the radial direction, the elastic disk 67 curves and its outer distal end curves upward to match the warp of the outlet slot 220 so that the elastic disk 67 passes through the slot. It becomes possible to slide radially outward. However, as long as the movable element 57 is arranged in the coupling position, the elastic disk 67 takes its unbiased form shown in FIG. 24 due to its inherent elasticity, and the movable element 57 is in the coupling arrangement. The holding member 100 is fixed coaxially. Although only shown in FIG. 24, it is preferable to provide a mechanism that prevents the movable element 57 from moving upward in the axial direction once the movable element 57 is engaged with the chamber 100. This mechanism is not essential, but is desirable for the purpose. In order to achieve this, a plurality of elastic finger members 272 are provided, which elastic finger members 272 are snapped through the inner end wall 112 when inserted in the axial direction and have a radially inward gripping surface. 273 can be engaged with the inner surface 114 of the inner end wall 112.

FIG. 25 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, except that it is in a partially disconnected configuration. In this partially uncoupled configuration, the movable element 57 moves forward into the discharge path, whereby the elastic disc 67 is received in the outlet slot 220 and the largest diameter portion of the elastic disc is the front portion of the side wall 108. The distal end of the elastic disc bends upward to match the curved configuration of the outlet slot 220 through the sidewall 108, such as when passing through the curved slot 220.

Refer to FIG. FIG. 26 shows a gripping member 100 identical to the gripping member shown in FIG. 19 except that the side wall 108 and the inner end wall 112 are above and radially inward from a fixed end 302 fixed to the outer end wall 32. Shown as a resilient finger member 370 extending to the distal end 304. Each of these members 370 is elastic and can bend radially outward to assist in moving a movable element from an uncoupled configuration to a coupled configuration by relative axial or radial movement. The elastic members 370 on both sides of the discharge channel 120 are particularly indicated by arrows 372 in FIG. 26 that facilitate the widening of the discharge channel 120 in directions away from each other, i.e., the movable element 57 passes in a radial movement. It may be possible to move directly in the direction. Any movable element 57 preferably has an elastically bendable member, such as a finger 70, but the gripping member 100 as shown in FIG. It is considered to be within the scope of technical common knowledge for those skilled in the art to provide the gripping member with an elastic member that moves to a sufficient extent so that it can move radially through the discharge passage.

Reference is made to FIGS. 28 to 37 are views showing the outermost part of the piston element 57 configured to form an elastic radially extending disk 67 suitable for bending in the axial direction and / or the radial direction on the stem 41. is there. The figure only shows that the piston element 57 is provided with an elastic disc 67 having a stem 61 extending downwardly into the discharge port 64 therein. However, as schematically shown by a broken line in FIG. 28, the stem 61 of the piston element 57 extends not only downward but also upward.

The disc 67 has an upper portion 505 with a top surface 506 that extends smoothly and continuously radially outward. The finger members 70 are spaced apart from each other by slots 84 and are formed circumferentially on the outer peripheral portion so that they can be bent radially inward and / or axially. Each finger 70 has an outer cam surface 508 that assists in axial movement to a suitable gripping member.

In FIG. 6, the slot 84 extends axially through the engagement member 67. In contrast, as shown, here, when the slot 84 is defined between two circumferentially spaced sidewalls 516 and 518, the slot 84 is axially out of the engagement member 67. Extending axially from the axially open end 512 of the facing lower surface 507 to the axially closed or blind end 514. The blind end 514 forms the lower surface of the upper portion 505. According to the figure, the slot 84 is also between two radially spaced sidewalls 526 and 528 from a radially open end 530 on the radially outward outer cam surface 508 to a radially closed or blind end 522. Extend in the radial direction.

For example, as can be seen in FIG. 29, each finger 70 is also radially spaced from each portion of the engagement member 67 by an annular groove or slot 308 that extends circumferentially in the axial direction. As best seen in FIG. 33, when the slot 308 is defined between two radially spaced sidewalls 320 and 322, the slot 308 is formed on the axially outwardly lower surface 507 of the engagement member 67. Extending axially from the axially open end 310 to the axially closed or blind end 312. As can be seen from FIG. 31, each slot 308 has a different radial width in the sense that the radial distance between the side walls 320 and 322 is shorter at the circumferential end 324 than the entire intermediate portion 326. .

The axially extending slots 84 and 308 provided in the annular ring-shaped engaging member 67 are, for example, a state in which the relative positions of the spaced side walls 526 and 528 are changed from the inherent form in which the elastic member is biased, In addition, the elastic member 67 is changed from the non-biased inherent form to the bent form, for example, within a bending range in the case of bending into a bent form in which the relative positions of the separated side walls 320 and 322 are changed. Help to bend. Slots 84 and 308 are provided with bridging portions with reduced dimensions. The bridging portions are shown as bridging portions 85 in FIG. 33 and layer thick bridging portions 309 in FIG. Thereby, the engaging member is more easily deformed and bent, and is easily bent as desired. The bridging portion is axially smaller compared to other parts of the engagement member, and such bridging or other reduced width equipment provides the engagement flange with the desired flexibility. It can be adopted as one of the methods.

The disk 67 includes lattice-shaped reinforcing ribs 510 that extend downward from the upper portion 505 in the axial direction and are easily formed by injection molding.

The disk 67 is easily pressed in the radial direction and is easily bent in the axial direction. FIGS. 28, 29, 30 and 31 show a piston element 57 which takes a natural form in which the disk 67 is unbiased.

34 to 37 show a piston element 57 in which the disk 67 is in the same bent form. The disk 67 is diametrically indicated by two arrows 512 and 514 in FIGS. 34 and 37 and / or in FIG. 37 so that it acts on the surfaces 508 of the two fingers 70 that are diametrically opposed. When bent in the axial direction indicated by the two arrows 516 and 518, this bent form is assumed. Since the elastic disc 67 is made of an elastic material, preferably elastomer, plastic or rubber, the disc 67 is shown in FIGS. 34-37 with the two fingers 70 bent axially inward and slightly radially inward. Takes a bent form. In FIG. 34, solid lines representing respective boundary lines with respect to positions of various planes accompanied by the upper surface 506 when bent are schematically shown on the upper surface 506. Illustrating these planes 520 makes it easier to visualize the changes that occur on the top surface 506 when bent.

Figures 36 and 37 best show the fingers 70 bent axially upward and slightly radially inward.

Each finger 70 is substantially coupled to the piston element 57 only at the top 505. The upper portion 505 bridges a slot 84 between adjacent finger members 70 as shown in FIG. 32 and a rib 510 extending generally circumferentially downward from the finger members 70 as shown in FIG. The slot 308 is bridged radially inward. The relative flexibility, size and thickness of the upper portion 505 and the flexibility, size and thickness of the finger member 70 can be selected to give the finger 70 the desired bending capability.

Refer to FIG. 38 shows a schematic cross-sectional side view of a portion selected from FIG. 2, including a portion of the actuator plate 32 and a valve assembly 22 similar to that shown in FIG. In FIG. 38, other elements such as the reservoir 12 and other elements of the dispenser except the actuator 32 are not shown for convenience.

FIG. 38 shows a modification of the valve assembly 22 shown in FIG. 2, but the technical contents of FIG. 2 can be applied unless otherwise noted.

In FIG. 38, similar to FIG. 2, the valve assembly 22 has a piston pump. The illustrated piston pump 22 is a retractable piston pump described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,251 issued September 11, 2007. The disclosure of this document is incorporated into the present invention by reference. In FIG. 38, the piston pump 22 includes a piston chamber forming element 56 and a piston element 57. As in FIG. 2, the piston element 57 includes a hollow stem 61 having an inner flange 65 and an outer flange 62 for engaging the inner wall of the discharge chamber 58, but the chamber 58 in FIG. There are some differences.

The piston element 57 includes, on its stem 61, an elastic engagement member 67 that is detachably connected to the actuator plate.

The engaging member 67 has an annular ring that is supported by the stem 61 at the axially outer end of the cylindrical flange 302 that is fixed to the stem 61 by the radially extending support flange 304 at the axially inner end.

The engaging member 67 in FIG. 38 is engaged with or released from the actuator member 32 by an annular slot or groove 308 extending inward in the axial direction provided in the engaging member 67. It can be bent.

The engagement member 67 shown in FIG. 2 is provided with a plurality of finger members 70, but in FIG. 38 the engagement member 67 is a continuous slot having an annular slot or groove 308 as seen in FIG. An annular member. In order to simplify the manufacture, the annular groove 308 extends inward in the axial direction from the axially outward lower surface 507 of the engaging member 67, but the annular groove 308 is formed on the axially inward upper surface 506. It can also extend outward in the axial direction. Although only one annular groove 308 is illustrated, it is possible to provide a plurality of such grooves.

According to the present invention, the engagement member 67 is preferably made of an elastic material such as an elastic plastic material. In selecting an appropriately dimensioned and positioned annular axially extending groove, such as the illustrated groove 308, those skilled in the art will consider the elasticity of the material forming the engagement flange 67 and, as a result of that review, It is possible to give the engaging member 67 the desired performance of bending so that the actuator plate 32 having a preferred configuration can be engaged / released.

Although the annular groove 308 is illustrated as a circle centered on the central axis 66, the annular groove 308 is not necessarily in this form. It can also have sidewalls that are corrugated or zigzag or the like.

The annular groove 308 provides both radial and axial bending of the engagement member 67 to favor engagement / release of various configurations of actuator plates disclosed in various embodiments of the present invention. It is preferable that the configuration be made possible.

As seen in FIG. 38, the annular groove has a blind end 312 and extends outward to the open end 314, each side wall 320 and 322 of which tapers outward from the blind end 312 to the open end 314. It has become. Although this configuration is not essential, it is generally considered to be a preferable configuration.

The annular groove 308 is illustrated as a continuous annular groove extending circumferentially around the engaging member 67. However, this configuration is not necessarily required, and one or more partial annular grooves having a certain groove length so as to obtain a desired elasticity may be provided. However, it is considered that an annular groove that extends completely around the engagement flange 67 is preferred.

In order to appropriately achieve both elasticity and ease of manufacture, the number of the annular grooves 308 may be two or more.

For example, if the engagement flange 67 has a plurality of finger members 70 as shown in the first embodiment of FIG. 2, the annular groove 308 and all the finger members 70 or selected finger members 70 are connected to the annular groove 308. Similar ones can be provided.

In FIG. 38, the engagement flange 67 is provided on a cylindrical flange 302, and the opposite side of the flange 302 is connected to the stem 61. However, the engaging member 67 with the annular groove 308 as shown in FIG. 38 is provided on the stem 61 in a manner that supports the finger member 70 on the stem 61 in FIG. Thus, it is considered that the disc can be extended radially outward from the stem 61.

Reference is made to FIGS. 40-44 illustrate the use of gripping and elastic members substantially the same as in the fluid dispenser disclosed in the above-described embodiment of FIGS. 1-39, where the dispenser is wound on a roll. The discharged paper is discharged. FIG. 43 is a vertical sectional view of the dispenser 10. The dispenser 10 comprises a housing, usually indicated as 14, typically a back plate 21 that is mounted vertically to a wall such as a lavatory, and two side walls 23 that extend vertically forward from the back wall 21. A gripping member 100 shown in FIG. 44 that is substantially the same as the gripping member 100 shown in FIG. 8 is attached to the inside of each side wall 23. Also shown are two end plugs 600 each having a stem 61 having a roll engagement portion 662 and an engagement member 67. Each end plug 600 has a cylindrical plug portion 662 that is attached to a hollow core 670 of a paper roll 672 having a roll layer of paper sheet 674 to be discharged. Each end plug engagement member 67 has a resilient finger 70 that is substantially identical to the engagement member shown in FIG. Each end plug 600 at the inner end has a cylindrical portion 662 at the inner end. The tubular portion 662 is provided with axially and radially outwardly extending flanges 664 that are suitable for being housed in the hollow core 670 by friction fitting. Further, in order to limit the range in which the cylindrical portion 662 can be inserted into the end portion of the core 670, the cylindrical portion 662 is provided with a stop flange 663. The claw portion 666 is provided so as to engage with the hollow core 670, and resists or prevents detachment of the tubular portion 662.

The gripping member 100 in FIGS. 41-43 is substantially the same as the gripping member shown in FIG. 8, but first, the radius of the central opening 104 through which the radial discharge path 120 of FIG. Second, the frustoconical portion 700 slightly larger than the corresponding frustoconical surface 670 and the cylindrical journal shaft surface 672 of the outer portion of the stem 61 of the engagement member 67. And the cylindrical journal bearing portion 702 are different in that they are modified to include both. The engaging member 67 is the same as the engaging member shown in FIG. The outer portion of the stem 61 of the engaging member 67 is journal-beared in the gripping member, and the end plug 600 is disposed coaxially with the shaft 23 with respect to the gripping member 100.

The paper roll 672 to which the two end plugs 600 are secured forms a replaceable cartridge 13 that can be inserted into and removed from the dispenser 10.

In the preferred embodiment dispenser 10 as seen in FIG. 42, when the cartridge 13 is slid rearward, each end plug 600 causes its engagement member 67 to slide back into the respective gripping member 100. Thus, the discharge path 120 of the gripping member 100 is preferably directed forward so that the replaceable cartridge 720 engages the dispenser 10. Removal is performed by sliding the cartridge 13 forward.

As long as the replaceable cartridge 13 to which the unused paper roll is attached is removably connected to the gripping member 100 or disconnected, the discharge path 120 can be in various directions such as upward, upward-forward, or backward, for example. It is naturally within the scope of the present invention that the gripping member 100 can be configured to be oriented. For example, although not shown, the housing 14 of the dispenser 10 may be equipped with a removable cover that limits the direction in which the replaceable cartridge is inserted and removed.

There are a variety of methods for journaling the hollow core 670 to the gripping member 100. In the preferred embodiment, journal bearing is provided substantially by the outer portion of the stem 61 of the engagement member 67 that is journal bearing at the central opening 104 of the gripping member 100. However, by selecting the relative clearance and spacing between the engaging member 67 and the interior of the cavity 102 of the gripping member 100 so that proper journal bearings are performed, the engaging member 67 itself has the journal bearing function. You may have. Removed by engaging another journal shaft surface such as a cylindrical outer surface of the stem 61 between the engaging member 67 and the cylindrical plug portion 662 with another bearing member (not shown), or The journal bearing may be assisted in place of the outer portion of the stem 61 of the engaging member 67 that is not provided with the journal bearing function. Or you may attach so that each holding member 100 can be rotated to the side wall 23 of a dispenser.

The roll paper hollow core 670 is preferably connected to each other so that the end plugs 600 are not detached from the hollow core 670 except when all of the hollow core paper has been removed. For example, the hollow core preferably has a slot 678 that engages the claw 666 and that the end plug 660 is removed only when the hollow core 670 is broken. The hollow core 670 may be equipped, for example, with paper or other material that allows the hollow core 670 to be easily broken or removed only when all of the paper has been removed. The core 670 may include an end plug 600 that cannot be removed.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 40-44 illustrates the use of gripping member 100 and engagement member 67 in a dispenser for a replaceable paper roll, preferably a replaceable paper roll. The invention of FIGS. 40 to 43 is made of, for example, paper towel, kitchen paper, toilet paper, aluminum foil, plastic, regardless of whether the winding axis is a horizontal axis, a vertical axis, or any other axis. It is believed that it can be applied to dispensers of other roll materials, such as wrapping paper and other materials wound on other rolls.

The preferred paper dispenser shown shows a replaceable cartridge 13 that can only be inserted by sliding the end plug 600 radially relative to a shaft 23 that passes through the individual gripping member 100. However, in an advantageous configuration of the dispenser according to the invention, one of the gripping members 100 is mounted on its side wall 23 so as to pivot about a vertical axis. The pivotally attached gripping member can also be pivoted so that its axis 102 faces the front of the dispenser, and in such a configuration, by moving the engagement member 67 axially into the cavity 102, One of the end plugs 600 may be connected to the pivoted gripping member 100. Thereafter, when the pivotable gripping member 100 is pivoted to the normal operating position with respect to the side wall 23, the other end plug 60 can be engaged with the other gripping member 100 by radial insertion. . In the gripping member 100 that is pivotally attached to the side wall 23 for pivoting, the discharge path is vertically upward, in contrast to other gripping members 100 whose discharge path is directed forward or forward and upward. May be suitable.

As long as the end plug 600 is provided in the hollow core 670 so that it cannot be removed, the shape of the engagement member 67 and the shape of the internal cavity 102 are complementary to each other so that Thus, insertion of a replaceable cartridge that does not have the end plug 600 provided with the engagement member 67 having a desired shape can be prevented.

The embodiment of FIGS. 40-44 shows a paper roll dispenser using an engagement member 67 and a gripping member 100 that are substantially identical to those shown in FIGS. However, other embodiments of the elastic engagement members shown in other figures could be readily applied in this paper roll dispenser.

Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will now appreciate various variations and modifications. For a definition of the invention, reference should be made to the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Dispenser 12 Reservoir 13 Replaceable cartridge 14 Housing 16 Fluid chamber 17 Bottom wall 18 Fluid 20 Outlet 21 Back plate 22 Valve assembly 23 Side wall, shaft 24 Support flange 25 Cavity 26 Opening 27 U-shaped slot 28 Rear blind end 29 Front edge 30 Actuator assembly 31 Swivel lever 32 Actuator plate 33 Guide rod 34 Spring 35 Lower surface 36 Upper surface 37 Holding opening 38 Slot groove 40 Front edge 41 Upper end (FIG. 2), Stem 42 Lower end 43 Holding ferrule 46 Horizontal shaft 47 Side arm 48 Horizontal Connection byte (big)
49 horizontal stub axle 50 hole 51 rear end 52 slot groove 53 upward shoulder 56 piston chamber forming member 57 piston element 58 discharge chamber 59 inflow opening 60 one-way inflow valve 61 hollow stem 62 flexible inner flange, outer flange 38)
63 Outer sealing flange 64 Outermost end, outlet 65 Internal path, inner flange (FIG. 38)
66 Shaft 67 Elastic engagement member, elastic engagement flange, elastic disk 70 Finger member 71 Radial inner end 72 Distal end 73 Cam surface 74 Inward shoulder 82 Slot 84 Slot 85 Bridging portion 99 Broken line 100 Gripping member 102 Cavity 104 Central opening 106 Upright grip portion 108 Side wall 110 Frustum-shaped inner surface 112 Inner end wall 114 Axial outwardly facing inner surface 120 Drain passage 124 Annular flange 126 Part 133 annular groove 134 substantially cylindrical outlet part 136 frustoconical position part, cam surface 138 inner edge 140 outer edge 142 surface around discharge channel 120, side wall, surfaces on both sides of slot groove 38 side wall surface 202 discharge path 204 annular Slot groove 206 annular sealing ring 208 hollow discharge tube 210 upper end 212 outer end 214 Discharge port 216 Side portion 218 Back portion 220 Main inclined surface (FIG. 16), outlet slot 222 Stopping member 224 Inclined cam surface 226 First screen member 228 Porous plug 230 Second screen member 232 First step shoulder 234 First Two step shoulder 236 Tubular nozzle extension 238 Limited insertion nozzle 240 Nozzle end cap 272 Elastic finger member 273 Grasping surface 280 Second radially outwardly extending positioning flange, annular groove 282 Inclined outer surface 284 Upper surface 286 Lower surface 302 Fixed end ( 26), distal end of cylindrical flange 304 (FIG. 26), radially extending support flange 308 slot 309 layer thickness bridge 310 axial open end 312 blind end 320 side wall 322 side wall 324 circumferential end 326 intermediate portion 370 Elastic finger member 500 菅 505 Upper part 506 Upper face 507 Axial outward Lower surface 508 outer cam surface 510 grid-shaped reinforcing rib 512 axial opening end 514 blind end 520 flat surface 522 blind end 526 side wall 528 side wall 530 radial opening end 600 end plug 662 roll engaging portion, cylindrical plug portion 663 stop Flange 664 Axial and radially outward extending flange 666 Claw 670 Hollow core (FIG. 42), frustoconical surface 672 Journal shaft surface, paper roll (FIG. 42)
674 Paper Sheet 678 Slot 700 Frustum Shape 702 Cylindrical Journal Bearing

Claims (14)

A housing (14);
A fluid discharge dispenser (10) comprising a replaceable cartridge (13) containing a substance to be discharged,
The cartridge (13)
(A) a fluid containing reservoir (12) having an outlet (20);
(B) a valve mechanism (22) disposed over the outlet (20) for discharging fluid from the reservoir (12),
The housing (14) supports the cartridge (13) at a discharge position;
The cartridge (13) can be inserted into the housing (14) to take the discharge position for discharging fluid, and can be detached for replacement.
The housing (14) comprises a gripping member (100),
The cartridge (13) is arranged around an axis (23) for engaging the gripping member (100) and releasably connecting the cartridge (13) to the housing (14). with an engaging Organization was,
Said engaging Organization has a resilient member (67) extending radially outwardly from said cartridge (13) in the inherent configuration an unbiased state, the elastic member (67) from the inherent configuration, said intrinsic form Is elastically bendable in a radial direction into a bent form having a different radial range, and is further urged to recover the natural form when bent from the natural form.
The valve mechanism (22) is a reciprocally movable element (reciprocating along the axis (23) with respect to the housing (14) when the reservoir (12) is in a discharge position for discharging fluid. 57)
The housing (14) has an actuator mechanism (30) for actuating the reciprocable element (57), the actuator mechanism (30) being in a first position and a second position relative to the housing (14). The actuator mechanism (30) includes the gripping member (100),
The movable element (57) engages with the gripping member (100) and is releasably coupled to the actuator mechanism (30) in the coupled arrangement to disengage the movable element (57). includes a case Organization, in the coupled orientation, movement between the first position and the second position of the actuator mechanism (30), resulted in a reciprocating axial movement of the movable element (57) ,
The movable element (57) has a fluid discharge path (65) in its axial direction through which fluid from the reservoir (12) passes axially through the movable element (57). The discharge path (65) has an inner end that receives fluid from the outlet (20) of the reservoir (12) and an outer end (64) from which fluid is discharged,
When the cartridge (13) is moved in the radial direction with respect to the gripping member (100) from the coupling arrangement, the elasticity is obtained by the engagement between the gripping member (100) and the elastic member (67). The member (67) is bent in the radial direction from the inherent form to the one-bent form, and the elastic member (67) and the gripping member (100) are moved in the radial direction from the coupling arrangement, and the cartridge ( 13) is in a radially uncoupled arrangement to detach from the housing (14);
In the coupled arrangement, the elastic member (67) engages the gripping member (100) while in the intrinsic configuration, and the movable element from the coupled arrangement to the radially uncoupled arrangement. Preventing (57) from moving in a radial direction relative to the gripping member (100);
Dispenser. The gripping member (100) has a central cavity (102) coaxially with the shaft therein,
In the coupled arrangement, the movable element (57) is located coaxially in the cavity (102);
The dispenser according to claim 1. The gripping member (100) is a radial direction extending radially from the cavity (102) as a path of the movable element (57) when moving from the connected arrangement to the radially unconnected arrangement. Including a discharge channel (120),
The circumferential range of the discharge channel (120) with respect to the axis is such that the movable element (57) passes through the discharge channel (120) and is gripped when the elastic member (67) takes a bent form. The movable element (57) can move in the radial direction with respect to the member (100), and when the elastic member (67) is in the natural form, the movable element (57) moves through the discharge passage (120). A range through which the gripping member (100) is prevented from moving in the radial direction;
The dispenser according to claim 2. The cavity (102) is defined in an axially extending circumferential side wall (108) of the gripping member (100), and the discharge passage (120) of the gripping member (100) is defined by the side wall. Extending radially through (108),
The side wall (108) has an inner surface (110) facing radially toward the inside of the cavity,
An outlet cam surface (136) for engaging with the elastic member (67) is disposed on each side of the inner surface (110) of the side wall (108) that is spaced apart and facing the circumference of the discharge path. Respectively, so that when the movable element (57) is moved radially outward from the coupling arrangement to the discharge channel (120), each of the opposed outlet cam surfaces (136) Due to the engagement with the elastic member (67), the elastic member (67) is compressed in the radial direction so that the width of the movable element (57) perpendicular to the axis is from the coupling arrangement. Into a radially uncoupled arrangement, the movable element (57) is reduced to a degree sufficient to pass radially through the discharge channel (120);
Since the width of the discharge channel (120) perpendicular to the axis is smaller than the diameter of the elastic member (67) in the natural configuration, the elastic member (67) in the natural configuration is in the connection arrangement. Engaging the inner surface (110) of the side wall of the gripping member (100) to move the movable element (57) from the coupled arrangement to the radially uncoupled arrangement, the gripping member (100). ) To prevent radial movement,
The dispenser according to claim 3. The sidewall (108) has an outer surface facing radially outward from the cavity;
An inlet cam surface for engaging with the elastic member (67) is provided on each side of the outer surface of the side wall (108) that is spaced apart and facing the circumference of the discharge passage (120). Thus, when the movable element (57) is moved radially inward from the radially uncoupled arrangement to the discharge passage (120), each of the opposing inlet cam surfaces and the elastic member (67) causes the elastic member (67) to be radially compressed so that the width of the movable element (57) perpendicular to the axis is from the radially uncoupled arrangement to the To a coupling arrangement, the movable element (57) is reduced to a degree sufficient to pass radially through the discharge channel (120).
The dispenser according to claim 3 or 4. The gripping member (100) moves from an axially unconnected arrangement in which the movable element (57) is axially aligned with the cavity (102) axially spaced from the element to the connected arrangement. As a path when the movable element (57) moves, it has an axial introduction path that extends in the axial direction in a circumferential shape around the axis toward the cavity (102),
The diameter range of the introduction path is such that when the elastic member (67) takes a bent form, the movable element (57) passes through the introduction path and is axial with respect to the gripping member (100). And when the elastic member (67) is in the inherent form, the movable element (57) passes through the introduction path in the axial direction with respect to the gripping member. It is a range that prevents moving,
The dispenser as described in any one of Claims 2-5. The cavity (102) is between a radially extending inner end wall (112) and a radially extending outer end wall (32) spaced axially from the inner end wall (112). Defined by
The introduction path extends axially through the inner end wall (112);
The inner end wall (112) has an outer surface (144) facing axially inward from the chamber (16);
An inlet cam surface (144) for engaging with the elastic member (67) is provided on each side of the outer surface of the inner end wall (112) around the introduction path that is spaced apart from each other in the radial direction. Respectively, so that when the movable element (57) is moved axially from the axially disengaged arrangement into the introduction channel, each of the opposing inlet cam surfaces (144) and the Due to the engagement with the elastic member (70), the elastic member (67) is compressed in the radial direction so that the width of the movable element (57) perpendicular to the axis is disengaged in the axial direction. From the connection arrangement to the connection arrangement, the movable element (57) is reduced to an extent sufficient to pass axially through the introduction path,
Since the diameter of the introduction path is smaller than the diameter of the elastic member (70) in the natural form, the elastic member (70) in the natural form is Engaging the inner surface (114) of the inner end wall (112) prevents the movable element (47) from moving axially relative to the gripping member (100).
The dispenser according to claim 6. The elastic member (70) has a plurality of elastic finger members circumferentially spaced around the axis of the movable element (57),
Each finger member (70) is coupled to the movable element (57) at its radially inner end (71) and extends radially outward to the distal end (72);
Each finger member is in an unbiased state in the inherent form,
Each finger member has the following biased state from the biased state:
(A) the distal end (72) is sufficient to move radially through the radial discharge passage (120) of the gripping member (100) in the radial direction; A biased state in which the portion (72) is moving radially inward, and
(B) the distal end (72) sufficient to allow the distal end (72) to move axially through the axial introduction path of the axial gripping member (100). ) Is elastically deformable into a biased state moving radially inward,
The dispenser according to claim 6 or 7. The cavity is defined between two axially spaced and radially extending end walls of the gripping member, the two end walls axially outwardly toward the chamber (16). An inner end wall (112) having a facing inner surface (114) and an outer end wall (32) having an inner surface (36) facing axially inward toward the chamber (16),
In the coupling arrangement, the engagement between the axially facing surfaces (74, 126) on the movable element (57) and the inner surfaces (114, 36) of the inner and outer end walls. In combination, the movable element (57) in the cavity is held against axial movement and disengagement,
The elastic member has a plurality of elastic finger members (70) spaced circumferentially around the axis of the movable element (57), and each finger member (70) has a radially inner end ( 71) coupled to said movable element (57) at 71) and extending radially outward to the distal end (72);
Each finger member (70) is unbiased in the inherent configuration,
Each finger member (70) is elastically deformable from the unbiased state to a biased state in which the distal end (72) is moving radially inward,
The finger member (70) is moved from its unbiased state to the following unbalanced state: the distal end (72) of the actuator member in the radial direction from the connected configuration to the radially unconnected configuration. Elastically deformable into a biased state in which the distal end (72) is moving radially inward enough to move radially through the gripping member (100);
The resilient finger member (70) extends from its radially inner end (71) to its distal end (72) in both radially outer and axially inner directions,
The finger member (70) engages with the outlet cam surface (136) on the side of the discharge path (120) that is spaced apart and facing each other to press the elastic member (70) in the radial direction. For the axially outward and radially outward cam surface (73),
The finger member (70) has an axially inner gripping surface (74) on the axially inner side of the cam surface that engages the inner surface (114) of the first inner end wall (112). And
The finger member (70) has a gripping surface (126) facing the outer side in the axial direction that engages with the inner surface (36) of the outer end wall (32) on the outer side in the axial direction of the cam surface (73). doing,
The dispenser according to claim 4 or 5. The gripping member (57) has a central cavity (102) formed therein coaxially with the shaft,
In the coupled arrangement, the movable element (57) is coaxially arranged in the cavity (102);
The cavity (102) is between a radially extending inner end wall (112) and a radially extending outer end wall (32) spaced axially from the inner end wall (112). Defined in an axially extending circumferential sidewall (108),
The cavity (102) has a discharge passage (120) extending radially through the side wall (108);
The side wall (108) has an inner surface (110) facing radially towards the cavity (102);
The inner end wall (112) has an axially outwardly facing inner surface (114) facing axially toward the cavity (102);
The outer end wall (32) has an axially inwardly facing inner surface (36) facing axially towards the cavity (102);
The keyway portion of each inner surface (110, 114, 36) of the side wall (108), the first end wall (112) and the second end wall (32) is a first shape centered on the axis. Located on a first rotation plane defined by the rotation of
The key portion of the outer surface (73, 74, 126) of the movable element (57) has a second shape substantially identical to the first shape, the movable element (57) being coaxial. Located in a second plane of rotation defined by rotation about an axis
The dispenser according to claim 2. The elastic member (67) includes an annular ring member centered on the axis,
One or more axially extending slots (82, 84, 308) provided in the annular ring member assist in bending the elastic member from the non-biased inherent form to the bent form. Yes,
The dispenser as described in any one of Claims 1-10. The elastic member (67) includes an annular ring member centered on the axis,
An annular slot (308) provided in the annular ring member and extending in the axial direction assists the bending of the elastic member (67) from the unbiased native form to the bent form,
The slot (308) extends from the axially open end (314) of the slot (308) in an axially oriented surface on the elastic member (67), and the slot (308) in the elastic member (67). Extending axially to the blind end (312) of the slot, the slot (308) extending annularly about the axis,
The slot (308) is defined between a set of radially spaced opposed slot sidewalls (320, 322), each sidewall extending from the blind end (312) to the open end (314). Exist,
When the elastic member (67) bends from the non-biased inherent form to the bent form, the relative positions of the spaced apart side walls change.
The dispenser as described in any one of Claims 1-10. Each slot extends radially or annularly with respect to the axis and is defined between a set of spaced apart facing side walls of the slot so that the elastic member moves from the unbiased native configuration to the bent configuration. And the relative position of each of the spaced apart side walls changes,
The dispenser according to claim 11. Each slot
(A) a slot extending axially through the elastic member; and
(B) selected from the group consisting of slots extending in the axial direction from the axially open end of the slot in the axially-facing surface on the elastic member to the blind end of the slot in the elastic member;
The dispenser according to claim 11 or 13.

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